Combined ironing-board and step-ladder.



v. D. GRAM. COMBINED IRONING BOARD AND STEP LADDER.

APPLICATION FILHQ OCT. B, 1908.

Patented 'June 15, 1909.

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UNITED W VICTOR DEE ORAM, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

COMBINED IRONING-BOARD AND STEP-LADDER Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1909.

Application filed October 8, 1908. Serial No. 456,777.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIoToR D. CRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Combined Ironing-Board and Step-Ladder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined ironing-board and step-ladder.

One of the novel features of the invention resides in the provision upon the ironingboard proper of a hinged sleeve-board, which may be supported either to extend directly above the body section of the ironing-board, at an angle to the upper face thereof, for supporting a table or stand when the device is used as a step-ladder, or downwardly at right angles therefrom, to aid in supporting one end of the board when the device is in use as an ironing-board.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision. of a novel means for supporting the device when used as a ladder, the sup porting means being embodied, in part, in mutually hinged frames, one frame being placed within the other, and in so arranging and connecting the frames that any tendency toward the swinging of the frames one with respect to the other, when the device is set up for use as a ladder, will be obviated.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing the device set up for use as an ironing-board, the sleeve-board being shown in full lines in position for use as a sleeveboard, and in dotted lines lowered to aid in supporting one end of the ironingboard, and Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the device set up for use as a step-ladder. Fig. 3 is a detail View showing the means provided for preventing relative movement of the frames of the device.

In the drawings the ironing-board proper is indicated by the numeral 5, and is of the usual shape, and pivoted at the upper ends of its side stiles 6, as 7, to the under side of the said board 5, is a frame, which constitutes one supporting element for the board, said frame including also cross-bars 8 and 9, the former being located adjacent the upper ends of the side stiles 6, and the latter adjacent the lower ends thereof. A rod 10 extends through the said stiles 6 of the main frame, and also through the side stiles 1.1 of a second frame, which, in addition to the said side stiles 11, is comprised of rungs 13 and steps 12, beneath one of which latter the rod 10 preferably'extends, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, it being understood that the said second frame is supported for swinging movement within the first mentioned frame upon the said rod 10.

When the device is used as an ironingboard, the second described frame is swung to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the upper ends of the stiles 11 engaging with one of a plurality of cleats 1 1, which are secured upon the under side of the said board 5, it being understood that the lower ends of the said stiles 6 and 11 of the first and second described frames rest upon the floor or other support for the device, and that the collapse of the device is prevented by the engagement of the upper ends of the stiles 11 with the said cleats 14, as above described.

When the device is in use as a step-ladder, the second described frame is swung to lie within the first described frame with the beveled lower ends of its stiles 11 restin in engagement with the lower rung 9 of the first described frame of the device; it being understood that by this construction, the swing ing of the second described frame in the direction indicated by the arrow A is prevented. In order to prevent swinging of the said second described frame with its upper end in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 1, and in order to prevent relative movement of the two frames with respect to the board 5, and to hold them at the proper angle one with respect to the other, a hook 15 is pivoted to the upper rung 13, and is engageable with an eye 16, upon. the under side of the ironing-board 5.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when a persons weight is supported upon the lower rung 13, or the lowermost of the steps 12, there is a tendency for the lower end of the second described frame to swing in the direction indicated by the arrow A heretofore mentioned, but that this tendency toward swinging movement of the frame will be arrested by the hook 15 engaged with the eye 16 and also by the engagement of the lower ends of the stiles 11 with the rungs 9. On the other hand, when the persons weight is borne by the upper one of the steps 12, and the upper one of the rungs 13, the tendency is for the upper end of the second described frame to swing in the direction indicated by the arrow B also heretofore mentioned, but this tendency is arrested by means which will presently be described.

One end of the ironing-board 5, which end is the upper end, when the device is in use as a ladder, is cut away, as indicated by'the numeral 17, and fixed upon the said end of the said board, one at each side of the said cut-away portion, is a pair of bearings 18, in which the ends of a rod 19 are journaled, said rod being supported at the upper or inner end of a sleeve-board 20, by means of brackets 19 upon the said board.

WVhen the device is in use as an ironingboard, the sleeve-board is supported directly above the ironing-board 5, in spaced parallel relation with respect thereto, by means of a cleat 21, which is hinged to it upon its under side, and extends transversely thereof.

When the sleeve-board. is not in use, but when the device is being used as an ironingboard, the said sleeve board 20 is swung upon the hinged connection 19 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which position its lower end will engage with the floor upon which the device rests, it being understood that the sleeve-board, when in this position, aids in supporting the said end of the said device, or at least one end of the said board 5. It will also be observed, from Fig. 1 of the drawings, that the second described frame is of less length than the first described frame, and that the upper ends of the stiles 6 on the first described frame, when the device is in use as in Fig. 1 of the drawings, extend beyond. the vertical plane occupied by the lower ends of the stiles 11 of the second described frame, so that the cut-away end of the ironingboard does not receive as much support, when in this position, as does the other end of the board, and the feature of having the sleeve-board mounted so that it may be swung downwardly to the position shown in dotted in lines in Fig. 1, to aid in supporting the said board 5, is a very valuable one.

In order that the sleeve-board may be supported at an acute angle to the board 5, when the device is used as a step-ladder, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, abrace 22 is hinged to the upper side of the said sleeveboard, and extends in the cut-away portion 23 of the cleat 21, and is engaged at its free end in a notch 24, formed in the upper face of the said ironing-board 5;

As heretofore stated, the engagement of the lower ends of the stiles 11 of the second described frame with the lower cleats 9 of the main frame, prevents swinging of the second described frame with its lower end moving in the direction of the arrow "A in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and, in order to prevent the swinging of the said frame in the corresponding direction at its upper end, I provide means which will now be described :-The stiles 11 of the supplemental frame and the stiles of the main frame are provided each with an opening 11, and these openings of the stiles of the two frames register when the frames are folded, as in Fig. 2 of the drawings, a pin 12 being engaged through the said openings to hold the frame against relative movement, and a button 13 being pivoted as at 14 upon the upper edge of each stile of the main frame adapted to be swung to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to aid in preventing such movement of the frame.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure, by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the class described comprising a body, a frame hinged at one end to the body, a frame hinged within the first mentioned frame, means upon the body for the engagement of one end of the second mentioned frame the said frames serving as supports for the body, and an end supporting member hinged at one end of the body to depend therefrom.

2. A device of the class described com prising a board, mutually hinged frames for supporting the board, and a supporting means hinged to one end of the board.

3. A device of the class described comprising a board, mutually hinged frames for supporting the board, and a sleeve board hinged at one end of the first mentioned board and adapted to be positioned to sup port the said end of the first mentioned board.

4. A device of the class described comprising a board, mutually hinged frames for supporting the board, and a sleeve board hinged at one end of the first mentioned board, and adapted to lie thereabove or to extend downwardly at right angles therefrom whereby to support the said end thereof.

5. A device of the class described comprising a board, mutually hinged frames for supporting the board, a sleeve board hinged at one end to one end of the first mentioned board, and adapted to extend thereabove or to extend downwardly at right angles therefrom whereby to support the said end thereof, and means whereby the said sleeve board may be supported at an angle to the upper face of the said first mentioned board.

6. A device of the class described comprising a board, supporting means hinged to the board, the said supporting means being adapted to be positioned to support the board in horizontal position or in upright position, the board at one end being cut away, a bearing secured upon the board at the said end thereof and to each side of the said out-away In testimony that I claim the foregoing as portion, a sleeve board, and a bearing carried my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature by the sleeve board, and pivoted between 11 the presence of 0W0 wltnesses. 10 the first mentioned bearings, the said sleeve 1 5 board being adapted to be swung to position VICTOR DEE CRAM to lie above the first mentioned board or to l/Vitnesses: be swung downwardly With its bearing seat- LAWRENCE C. MARIGER,

ing in the said cut-away portion. LESLIE G. YOUNG. 

